E-scooter riders would be subject to strict speed and age limits under a proposal to legalise the devices in New South Wales. The state government has responded to a parliamentary inquiry into their use. Under current legislation, e-scooters are illegal on public roads and paths except in specific trial areas.
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00:00The growing trend of travel that's been left unregulated.
00:07In New South Wales today it is legal to buy an e-scooter but it's not legal to ride it.
00:13The government says there's an estimated 1.3 million e-mobility devices in homes across the state,
00:20with almost 50% used to connect to public transport.
00:24It's unrealistic to expect people are just going to leave them in their sheds.
00:28It has now backed most recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry,
00:32including allowing e-scooters on shared paths and neighbourhood roads for riders over 16.
00:38This is going to be a much better situation even for the people who are naysayers
00:43because these things are here, whether you like them or not,
00:46what we need to try and do is have some common sense rules and regulations around them.
00:51The government is proposing a default speed between 10 and 20 kilometres an hour for shared paths
00:57and a 20 kilometre speed limit on roads in 50 zones.
01:01New South Wales surgeons told the inquiry they're dealing with an exponentially rising number of injuries
01:07caused by e-mobility devices.
01:09The government says it is taking action on concerns around poor rider behaviour, fire risk and device modification.
01:16One of the biggest problems at the moment is that you can buy an e-bike and with a YouTube video
01:23you can turn that e-bike from something capable of doing 20 kilometres an hour to something that can do 45 kilometres an hour.
01:31The government says legislation will be introduced in parliament before the end of the year.